INCIDENCE OF INCISIONAL HERNIA IN NORMAL VS OBESE PATIENT

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of incisional hernia in normal and obese patient presented at tertiary care hospital at a tertiary care hospital.

METHODOLOGY: This prospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery PMC Hospital, Nawabshah, after obtaining approval from the ethical review committee. A total of 100 patients aged 18–70 years who underwent abdominal surgery were enrolled through non-probability consecutive sampling and divided into two groups: obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m², n=50) and non-obese (BMI <25 kg/m², n=50). Patients with ASA status <3 were included. Demographic variables, comorbid conditions, and perioperative details were recorded using a structured proforma. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± SD, while qualitative variables were reported as frequency and percentage. Incisional hernia incidence was compared using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, and relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. Stratification was performed to control potential confounders, and p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: The overall incidence of incisional hernia was 23%. Incisional hernia occurred in 32% of obese patients compared to 14% of non-obese patients (p=0.031). Obese patients had a significantly higher risk of developing incisional hernia (RR=2.29; 95% CI: 1.05-4.97). Stratification analysis demonstrated that obesity remained an independent risk factor across different age groups, genders, and comorbid conditions.

CONCLUSION: Obesity significantly increases the risk of incisional hernia following abdominal surgery. Early identification of high-risk patients and implementation of preventive strategies may reduce postoperative morbidity.